No Pain, No Gain

When things have hurt so bad,

it changes you.

When things have hurt so bad,

it changes everything.

I don't trust myself like I used to.

I can't pray out loud so confidently 

or speak for God like I used to.

I don't want to do anything

like I used to.

And the only thing that matters,

the only thing I feel that counts,

is genuine heart connection 

with God.

And even with that I could never say

I have a handle on it.

Faith truly is the substance

of things hoped for.

Faith is the evidence of things 

not seen.

The trial or stress of faith 

is truly the ground worth standing on.

It is much more precious than gold.

For from that precious faith

in who God is,

results in praise, honor and glory

when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Maybe the saying truly is true,

"no pain, no gain."

If the pain, the trial, the suffering

can bring us down low

to where we see our desperate need

for God alone,

is it not worth it all?